Is democracy being by-passed in favour of the billionaires?

The Labour Party still has a majority. Perhaps priority should be given to a Bill that would effectively stem the bribes from abroad.

Donations from the Unions are of course entirely altruistic.

Unless Yusuf were to stand in a GE and be elected, were he to become Home Secretary he would not be allowed to enter the House of Commons so he would not be able to make statements or take and answer questions from other MPs. Where’s the democracy in that?
Richard Hermer is unelected , was 'enobled' to sit in the Lords, appointed immediately as Attorney General without any previous parliamentary experience and is unable to make statements or face questions from the Commons.
Is that democratic?

The really interesting thing is that if Harbourne had not bankrolled either Farage or Reform, where would we be now.

We can assume that Farage would have retired from the political scene, and Reform would have struggled in the run up to the locals to buy advertising.

The result may have been very different.

I think we can assume that these local elections was purchased by Harbourne.

Donations from the Unions are donations from British citizens, so 'yes'.

I believe many of the people who voted Reform did so tactically to get Labour out and send a message. I did.

Although I approve of some of Reforms policies - dealing with the boats/mass deportations of illegals/ getting rid of the woke agenda and net zero) id dont approve of their misogiynistic policies of encouraging childbirth and penalising women who are unselfish enough to be childfree.

I am a dyed in the wool conservative and very much to the right of the patry. So I feel politically homeless at present.

eazybee

If you read the OP, I have suggested that political donations need a complete overhaul.

But in answer to your question, when one individual, who pays no tax in the U.K., has Thai citizenship, and is being investigated for money laundering, fraud and funding terrorism in the USA is entirely responsible for making one political party the most wealthy and therefore able to buy enormous quantities of advertising, there is a high degree of doubt regarding the democratic process in this funding.

The unions who fund Labour or big business who fund the Tories are generally registered and reside in the uk, paying tax snd having a real stake in the country.

I did not stay that appointing an unelected person was unprecedented. Sunak brought in Cameron as Foreign Secretary in the dying months of the Tory government.

Starmer made only three appointments. James Timpson as Minister of State for Prisons, Parole, and Probation, Richard Hermer KC as Attorney General and Sir Patrick Vallance as Minister of State for Science in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. None are the four great offices of state.

Let me throw the question back at you. The cabinet comprises 22 Ministers. There are currently 149 ministerial positions.

If there was a snap election and Reform won, how do you think Farage would fill those positions when nobody, not even himself, has any ministerial experience? How would Parliament function?

Tom Burgis' article about Harborne is interesting especially with regard to when Farage first became interested in crypto.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/apr/25/christopher-harborne-mystery-billionaire-bankrolling-reform-uk-nigel-farage

Extract:

I want to know the origin of Farage’s crypto enthusiasm. A Reform representative tells me, “Mr Farage’s support of cryptocurrencies came as a result of him being debanked.” That does not seem to make sense. Coutts made the decision to close Farage’s accounts in November 2022. By then, he had been promoting crypto for at least two years. During the pandemic in 2020, Farage told followers of his Fortune & Freedom investment newsletter that bitcoin was “the ultimate anti-lockdown investment”.

Gawain Towler spent years as Farage’s communications chief and sits on Reform’s board. I ask him whether Farage’s interest in crypto began with his debanking.

“No,” says Towler. “Far prior to that.” He believes it dates back to early 2019 – when Harborne arrived on the scene.

So, Farage being careless with veracity?

Maremia

The Labour Party still has a majority. Perhaps priority should be given to a Bill that would effectively stem the bribes from abroad.

Lest hope its is secured over this government's tenure Maremia.

I don't think people know what they are voting for

eazybee

Donations from the Unions are of course entirely altruistic.

Unless Yusuf were to stand in a GE and be elected, were he to become Home Secretary he would not be allowed to enter the House of Commons so he would not be able to make statements or take and answer questions from other MPs. Where’s the democracy in that?
Richard Hermer is unelected , was 'enobled' to sit in the Lords, appointed immediately as Attorney General without any previous parliamentary experience and is unable to make statements or face questions from the Commons.
Is that democratic?

Uk employees, that pay UK taxes, elect to pay subscriptions to affiliated UK trade union. UK trade unions in return represent the interests of their UK tax paying employees.

Recent changes have brought in changes that require UK tax paying employees to OPT IN to paying the political levy that of the proportion of their subscription to donates to the Labour Party, to represent UK tax paying employee interests.

Do you have any problem with the opt in decision of these UK tax paying ?

This is in no way similar or comparable to a business man living abroad, who has history of seeking political favour, who pays no UK taxes, donating £22 million to Reform UK and £5million personally to Reform Uk's leader,

Whitewavemark2

The really interesting thing is that if Harbourne had not bankrolled either Farage or Reform, where would we be now.

We can assume that Farage would have retired from the political scene, and Reform would have struggled in the run up to the locals to buy advertising.

The result may have been very different.

I think we can assume that these local elections was purchased by Harbourne.

I think thats a reasonable inference that is more likely than not true.

JaneJudge

I don't think people know what they are voting for

People are saying they don't like Reform but voted for them to get Starmer out- and these are people on both sides, Tory and Labour.

I do feel if Starmer goes we are in danger of polical collapse in this country- with people flip flopping everywhere and we all know politics hates a vacuum.

Is constant turmoil, unease and inertia what people really want?

It makes me wonder sometimes...

As an aside

In December 2022, Harborne gave £1000000 directly to Boris Johnson’s Company.

In early 2023 the British government MOD awarded Qinetiq an £80 million contract.

M0nica

No, its being passed by, by the left who think they know better than us how we want to live and their power hungry leaders, like Starmer, who will not go even though they have been proved incompetent and the majority want them to go. Surprising what Starmer has in common with Trump!

Of course billionaires ahave power and use it, but do not underestimate the power of those who believe that they know what is best for us.

And remember both extremes, Left and Right are united in their anti-semitism.

I find your comments about Starmer most offensive to all Labour voters.

It’s sadly due to comments similar to this repeated time and time and time again in our MSM that Starmer has lost votes and Reform has gained them.

Instead of this, perhaps our MSM could headline “Small boats crossing down 13% on 2022 all time high” or “60,000 people deported since LP took power”

But no, MSM and all the others who loathe Starmer would rather harp on and say all he’s achieved is “flip-flopping” and he’s not done anything to help the Jewish community and some even have the gall to accuse him of anti-semitism.

Where do you think we’d be if ANY other party or Leader had been in charge during Trump’s second reign?

We would be importing cheap USA food and entwined in an ill thought-out and illegal war in Iran.

I sometimes cringe and want to weep at some posters sometimes. 😢😢

keepingquiet

JaneJudge

I don't think people know what they are voting for

People are saying they don't like Reform but voted for them to get Starmer out- and these are people on both sides, Tory and Labour.

I do feel if Starmer goes we are in danger of polical collapse in this country- with people flip flopping everywhere and we all know politics hates a vacuum.

Is constant turmoil, unease and inertia what people really want?

It makes me wonder sometimes...

I disagree. I think if Starmer decides to go in a planned way with a clear plan for succession and the cabinet develops a clear plan to turn things around, that gains some traction and resonance with its traditional Labour base, it has three more years to do some good things.

AGAA4

I wonder if those who voted Reform realised they were voting for a billionaire business man in Thai who certainly doesn't have the welfare of British citizens at heart.

It does worry me that, as well as the fact that Reform are a company funded by billionaires and Farage has benefitted personally from this, that some of those recently elected to serve on a local council are on the record for making outrageously racist comments. As has been said, if any other political party followed suit they would be hung drawn and quartered in a very short time.
I remember Trump stating that he could shoot a person dead and his supporters would still follow him.
Is this the kind of scenario we are facing with Farage, with supporters prepared to ignore every awful thing Reform represent??
I fear it is very much the case.

We should also reflect that if Farage were PM he would have committed straight away to Trump’s illegal war.

Harborne seems to be trying to control the next UK government which he will do his best to make sure it's Reform.
Some of the country is already controlled by him.

friendlygingercat

I believe many of the people who voted Reform did so tactically to get Labour out and send a message. I did.

Although I approve of some of Reforms policies - dealing with the boats/mass deportations of illegals/ getting rid of the woke agenda and net zero) id dont approve of their misogiynistic policies of encouraging childbirth and penalising women who are unselfish enough to be childfree.

I am a dyed in the wool conservative and very much to the right of the patry. So I feel politically homeless at present.

Whilst I accept your reasons for voting as you did, it’s important sometimes to vote tactically.

Can you please explain exactly how Reform will stop the boats?

What do you mean by “getting rid of the woke agenda”

And finally, why you feel attempting to slow down the damage done to the environment by humans is so wrong? I agree net zero is probably unachievable, but if we simply return to fossil fuels and utilise them they way we did in the past we might not have a world to pass onto our grandchildren and their children.

As far as I know Reform are hell bent on pursuing Fracking and raising council tax. Not sure what else they stand for apart from stopping small boats, I think they imagine the Royal Navy will become involved according to Jenrick. And the expense of utilising the armed forces will also be passed onto those already paying increased council taxes I would think. Not that it will imho be at all possible to involve the Royal Navy.
Nor can Reform stop small boats without the cooperation of EU countries, which could be a stretch.

keepingquiet

JaneJudge

I don't think people know what they are voting for

People are saying they don't like Reform but voted for them to get Starmer out- and these are people on both sides, Tory and Labour.

I do feel if Starmer goes we are in danger of polical collapse in this country- with people flip flopping everywhere and we all know politics hates a vacuum.

Is constant turmoil, unease and inertia what people really want?

It makes me wonder sometimes...

I've been wondering for quite some time.

I doubt if "the people" (ie us) want constant turmoil and unease, but I suspect that it's being quite deliberately created by those pulling the strings (ie in charge of the bitcoin).

Fallingstar , I agree with your view.

1)The UK has no legal entitlement to return migrants on small boats in this manner.
2) Safety concern- flimsy dinghies in busy shipping channels being turned around could cause capsize and deaths
3) The Royal Navy is not in charge of maritime counter migration. The RN acts as a fighting force ready to engage in conflict to support UK's interests and allies. The RN role runs counter to Reform's proposals, ie its role as it not only deter threats by patrolling and in combat operations, it supports humanitarian aid and peacekeeping, often working alongside NATO allies.
4) The Royal Navy is not a taxi service
5) the RN commanders are not likely to support such a Reform UK proposal
5) France is a Nato and UK ally

Reform Uk's proposal is quite frankly nuts and ill thought through.

Whitewavemark2

As an aside

In December 2022, Harborne gave £1000000 directly to Boris Johnson’s Company.

In early 2023 the British government MOD awarded Qinetiq an £80 million contract.

Well, well, well…